As the world reflects on their last decade, we at Houston Foresight want to do the same. As we close out our 2019, let’s hear from Andy on his thoughts over the last decade:
What are some significant milestones over the last decade that really changed the course for this program that you’d like to call out?
Peter Bishop started the week-long “Professional Certificate in Foresight” boot camp in 2009 and 684 students have now gone through it. We have done two annual boot camps until last year when we added a third in response to increasing demand. Not only has the Certificate course has introduced the future to these students, but also to their organizations. Some of the students have gone on to enter the Master’s program. And several students and their organization have hired Houston Foresight to research projects for them.
The Program changed its name from Futures Studies to Foresight in 2012 to reflect the shift in the field toward Foresight as the preferred name.
Framework Forecasting was extended and updated to “Framework Foresight” published in the journal Futures in 2013, and described in the 2014 textbook “Teaching about the Future” published by Palgrave Macmillan.
We institutionalized the Annual Spring Gatherings in 2011 with topics including: Methods and Values (2011), After Capitalism (2012), City Making in the 21st Century (2013), Student Needs 2025+ (2014), Technology Acceleration (2015), Blockchain (2016), Good Futures Work (2017), Scanning the Fringe (2018), Introducing the Future (2019), and this year’s Sci Fi Futures.
Many of our students have been winner in the annual APF Student Recognition program, including a “sweep” of first second and third place in 2015.
What can the last 10 years at Houston Foresight tell us about the next 10 years? / What’s your vision for Houston Foresight in 2030?
The program Vision adopted in 2014 — To be widely recognized as the premier training ground for professional futurists and for those seeking to futurize their lives and their organizations – reflects our ongoing commitment to producing the next generation of professional futurists.
A key development in the program beginning in 2014 was the development of a client research programs, generously kicked off by the Student Needs 2025 and Beyond Project sponsored by the Lumina Foundation. Since then we have also explored the future of forestry via horizon scanning, scenario, and monitoring, sustainable waste management, work, technology in baby and childcare product, immigration and foreigners affairs, the built environment, changing demand for higher education, the circular economy, and cat care.
I would like to see the size of our student enrollment grow by another 10 each semester – currently at 36. We had our highest number of inquiries this fall since we began tracking several years ago, so maybe…..
Let’s talk about forecasts / scenarios you’ve made for 2020. As you look back, what elements of your forecasts were right? What was off?
Thank you Andy! Can’t wait to see what’s next for Houston Foresight!
